Promote Your Business This Holiday With A Real Card Done Right

For the record, I love real greeting cards, especially when they are sincere, serve a purpose and clearly demonstrate that it took more than stuffing an envelope with a generic card. With the trend of sending e-cards losing appeal it’s time to return your attention to the tradition of sending a real holiday greeting card. More importantly it’s time to return to the true purpose of this tradition which is threefold: 1) is to sincerely thank your clients and vendors, and 2) is to market yourself as brilliantly as possible to make clients and vendors proud of doing business with you and 3) is to make prospects more interested in doing business with you.

With holiday cards created as part of your company’s marketing campaign, you can show your appreciation, differentiate your company and, hopefully, drum up new business. I am sharing the following four tips I found on Entrepreneur from last holiday season with slight edits. 

Personalize

Sending the holiday cards you bought at a dollar store last year after Christmas at 80 percent off is definitely out of the question. Opt instead for custom greeting cards that include your logo on the front, bold and proud. Include graphics that reflect your company culture and send the proper message without necessarily including words. When it is displayed for all to see, it will stand out over Jolly Ole Saint Nick.

Message

These days, people consume greeting cards like they do content online, so your message needs to be short and easy to read. Most of all, it needs to be sincere and, again, reflect your company culture. If you want to keep it religion-neutral, consider a simple “Thank You.”  Also, hand sign each card and include key members of your staff. This demonstrates an additional effort that many recipients (myself included) will notice, which makes the hand cramps worth it.

Presentation

How your greeting card is delivered is probably the least important thing about your effort. Envelopes will be opened and discarded without ever really being noticed. With that said, do not be afraid to get a little creative. Add color or include a graphic on your envelope to make it unique, and include a bona fide stamp, not one from a postage meter.

Purpose

Again, the act of sending greeting cards at this time of year is meant to be selfless and show appreciation, but it is what it is — marketing. There is nothing shameful in demonstrating your company’s appreciation while simultaneously and rightfully identifying this effort as an opportunity to make an impression and drum up more business. Include something in your card that prompts a call to action. For example:

• Offer a discount for a future order by including a coupon or printing an offer on the back of the greeting card,
• Include a business card that will not be discarded at the end of the season,
• Set up a landing page on your website and instruct recipients to visit the page for a special holiday message and offer (make sure it is worthy of sharing).
• Ask and offer a reward for any referrals.

Get a jump on the holiday season by planning your customized holiday cards now. We’re happy to help with coming up with creative messages that reflect your company culture. Keep in mind that in addition to a card and gift that stand out, when your card and gift arrives around the beginning of the holiday season you stand out even more.